This invention relates to an apparatus and method for handling call waiting.
While a person is busy with a voice call, it may happen that another call is made to that person. In such a circumstance, it is known to provide call waiting tones on the communication line to alert the person of the other call. The person can then (with a flash hook indication) take the new call. A drawback with this approach is that the caller cannot communicate the importance of her call.
WO99/48263 filed by Ameritech Corporation and published Sep. 23, 1999 describes an advanced intelligent network (AIN) where, when a service switching point (SSP) determines a called station is busy, it queries a service control point (SCP) in respect of the call. In one embodiment, the SCP returns call control information which directs the SSP to generate instructions that ask the calling party to speak her name. The spoken name can be recorded. Additionally, the caller may be able to key in an indication of call priority. The call path of the previous call can then be interrupted to place it on hold and then call waiting indicators and an audible representation of the caller""s name along with a priority indication can be provided to the called station.
This approach provides the caller with a limited ability to communicate the importance of her call.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,894,504 to Alfred, where a call comes in for a call busy line, if the called party subscribes to call waiting and voice messaging, call waiting tones are applied to the busy line and the caller is passed to voice mail. The called party, on hearing the call waiting tones, has the option of keying in a code which sets up a one-way conference call allowing the called party to eavesdrop on the message.
This allows the called party to make a more informed decision as to whether to take the call but, as the entire process is transparent to the caller, the ability of the caller to properly communicate the importance of her call is limited.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved approach to provide a called party with call waiting information.
When a caller calls a call busy called station, the caller may request that a message be provided to the called station while the caller waits. In such instance, the called station receives the message while busy with the other call. The message may be speech indications provided by the caller which may be recorded and edited by the caller before being delivered.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a method for voice call management comprising, where a communications link terminated by a first station is busy with a call and a new call is waiting for said first station, responsive to a request from a calling station for said new call, providing a message on said call busy communications link based on input from said calling station, said message comprising speech indications superimposed on a path of said communications link outbound to said first station and not superimposed on a path of said communications link inbound from said first station.
An apparatus, a personal agent, a voice mail system, and a telephone switch adapted to carry out this method are also provided. Additionally, a computer readable medium is provided which adapts a communications system to carry out the method. Further a computer data signal is provided which adapts a communication system to carry out the method.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for facilitating voice call management, comprising: while a call path is busy with a call, on receipt of another call for said call path from a calling station: on said calling station requesting messaging on said call path while said call path is busy, prompting said calling station for information and superimposing speech indications on said call path based on any said information.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for facilitating voice call management, comprising: while a called party station is busy with a call on a communications link, on request of a calling station for a waiting call, providing speech indications to said called party station on said communications link relating to said waiting call at a volume normally associated with a whisper.
According to yet a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for facilitating voice call management, comprising: while a call path terminated with a first station is busy with a call, on receipt of another call for said first station from a calling station and on receipt of an indication from said calling station, superimposing on any signal on a path of said call path outbound to said first station, speech indications related to said another call at a volume normally associated with a whisper.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for voice call management comprising, where a communications link is busy with a call and a new call is waiting, providing a message on said call busy communications link based on initial input from a calling station for said new call and editing input from said calling station.
Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with accompanying figures.